Batum lovers look here!!

According to the agent for Portland Trail Blazers forward, Nicolas Batum, they will not be holding off on deals to allow the Trail Blazers to sign a couple of free agents before the team tends to his client, who's a restricted free agent. “The first good offer we get, we're going with that,” Bouna Ndiaye of Comsport Management told CSNNW.com. “We're not waiting for anything.” CSNNW.com

Isn't Batum a restricted free agent? Portland will have an opportunity to match any offer no matter how quick Colangelo is to act.

The issue is other free agents Portland might pursue.

If a team offers a contract which Batum signs, Portland has three days to match. At this time, it looks like Portland has about $15M in cap space (contracts, 1st round picks, and cap holds of players they would like to keep). This assumes Jamal Crawford opts out of his deal. If he doesn't the cap space becomes around $10M.

If Batum signs a deal over $6.4M, the difference is subtracted from their cap space.

Acting Portland GM has said he'd like to use all his cap space and THEN resign Batum using Bird Rights (i.e. ability to go over cap to sign your own players).

If someone offers a rich contract on July 11th, the Blazers are going to have a tough decision to make as it will likely lead to yet another year without the elusive PG they have been seeking for years.

I'm on the 'bring Nash to Toronto' camp, so I'd rather have Bryan invest his time in trying to get Nash here then to try and prevent Portland from matching an offer made to Batum.

If Toronto makes an offer to Batum, those 3 days that it takes Portland to match could mean the end of a Nash to Toronto talk. I think it's too risky personally.

I believe Portland's core going forward will include both Aldridge and Batum. I think it would be devastating to their fan base to lose Batum for nothing when they already lost Oden and Roy to career ending injuries.

However if Portland realizes that Batum is not going to be happy there, then a sign and trade could work for both parties. Davis, Calderon and one of our 2nd rounders for Batum I think would be a good starting point. This way Portland gets a PG who can start for them, and be on an expiring contract (and should not be coming into training camp fat). Plus they get a reliable backup for Aldridge with upside, and a 2nd rounder they can leverage for another trade or to use to strengthen their roster.

If a team offers a contract which Batum signs, Portland has three days to match. At this time, it looks like Portland has about $15M in cap space (contracts, 1st round picks, and cap holds of players they would like to keep). This assumes Jamal Crawford opts out of his deal. If he doesn't the cap space becomes around $10M.

If Batum signs a deal over $6.4M, the difference is subtracted from their cap space.

Acting Portland GM has said he'd like to use all his cap space and THEN resign Batum using Bird Rights (i.e. ability to go over cap to sign your own players).

If someone offers a rich contract on July 11th, the Blazers are going to have a tough decision to make as it will likely lead to yet another year without the elusive PG they have been seeking for years.

IMO this will be BC's first move: 4 year -$40 mil to Batum (starting $15 mil first year, then 10, 7.5,7.5). He can play 2 or 3 -perfect.
I believe only 2 other teams would have serious interest (Boston would probably try to resign Green) & Cavs. San Antonio would love to get him, but would have to be sign & trade (unless Nic takes mid level). Brooklyn will wait (don't know for what, probably Howard, or Wallace).
If Portland matches -no chance they go for Dragic or Nash (both our 2nd options).
Would Portland take Jose (to make it sign & trade -I doubt it)? More likely let Batum go & go after Dragic. Either way we win.

I'm on the 'bring Nash to Toronto' camp, so I'd rather have Bryan invest his time in trying to get Nash here then to try and prevent Portland from matching an offer made to Batum.

If Toronto makes an offer to Batum, those 3 days that it takes Portland to match could mean the end of a Nash to Toronto talk. I think it's too risky personally.

I believe Portland's core going forward will include both Aldridge and Batum. I think it would be devastating to their fan base to lose Batum for nothing when they already lost Oden and Roy to career ending injuries.

However if Portland realizes that Batum is not going to be happy there, then a sign and trade could work for both parties. Davis, Calderon and one of our 2nd rounders for Batum I think would be a good starting point. This way Portland gets a PG who can start for them, and be on an expiring contract (and should not be coming into training camp fat). Plus they get a reliable backup for Aldridge with upside, and a 2nd rounder they can leverage for another trade or to use to strengthen their roster.

But I personally think Batum is going to be a Trailblazer next year.

I am in full agreement that Batum is going to be a Blazer next year.

However, if Nash truly wants to commit to Toronto then it will happen. It would actually be beneficial for Nash to give Toronto time to manoeuvre to improve the roster before signing.

Nash and Phoenix might already have some agreement set up for sign and trade (I have no idea, just speculating); Toronto could make cap space via trade; or Toronto could amnesty Calderon (unlikely but just saying it could happen to make signing Nash or Batum work).

If a team offers a contract which Batum signs, Portland has three days to match. At this time, it looks like Portland has about $15M in cap space (contracts, 1st round picks, and cap holds of players they would like to keep). This assumes Jamal Crawford opts out of his deal. If he doesn't the cap space becomes around $10M.

If Batum signs a deal over $6.4M, the difference is subtracted from their cap space.

Acting Portland GM has said he'd like to use all his cap space and THEN resign Batum using Bird Rights (i.e. ability to go over cap to sign your own players).

If someone offers a rich contract on July 11th, the Blazers are going to have a tough decision to make as it will likely lead to yet another year without the elusive PG they have been seeking for years.

I found an interesting article on the Batum-Blazer situation. Here is the link:

The main takeaway is as soon as a team (Lets say Toronto) offers a contract and Batum accepts, Toronto loses the cap space. Portland, on the other hand, is only still obligated to Batum with his cap hold. In other words, the Blazers will have 3 days to spend all their cap space and then they can match the offer. In essence the Blazers can have their cake and eat it too.

Given that teams have 11 days between July 1st and 11th to 'talk' it seems that Batum leaving Portland is even less of a possibility than originally thought (and it wasn't high to begin with). It would be awesome if this year no one committed to anything until July 11th but we know that is not going to happen.

I was big on Batum earlier this season but as more teams get involved and stakes get higher I am not interested anymore.
I would just wait for other teams to make those offers and for portland to make Wes Matthews available to us.

Matthews is an interesting point. Get a deal done for RGay (reasons and methods aplenty in the trade forum) work a sign and trade for Nash and use the TPE for Matthews to "help" Portland sign their FA targets along with re-signing Batum.

Matthews is an interesting point. Get a deal done for RGay (reasons and methods aplenty in the trade forum) work a sign and trade for Nash and use the TPE for Matthews to "help" Portland sign their FA targets along with re-signing Batum.

Works for me.

Somebody please explain to me: Why in the world would we even consider going after Granger, Rudy G or Igoudala which are going to cost us 12-16 mil & sizable assets (starting with our 1st rounder) vs making a larger offer (still in 9-12 mil range) to any one of 3 or 4 FAs Wallace, Green, Batum or even Kirilenko (with outside change -less effective & a lot less money to Ilyasova or Beasley). I mean would we not be a better team with P Jones (say our draft choice), JJ, Ilyasova & OJ Mayo vs Rudy Gay????

i wouldn't include this years pick in any trade. next years or the years after i would include. i'm not high on gay. iggy i would take but in another thread i think it was apollo who said we are doing them a favour by taking the salary, kinda like the cavs taking davis.

i actually didn't like the way they are talking, the first good offer available talk from the agent. batum is going to get paid, but to put that out there seems cheap. same with ilyasova. seems like mark grandler has some nba clients.

i'm in the mayo camp right now and i don't think he would turn down the starting 2 spot, given the chance.

Matthews is an interesting point. Get a deal done for RGay (reasons and methods aplenty in the trade forum) work a sign and trade for Nash and use the TPE for Matthews to "help" Portland sign their FA targets along with re-signing Batum.

the amount of time it takes to get batum to agree to an offer sheet +3 days is plenty of time for Portland to sign other free agents. I can't see the raps getting batum, unless the pay way above his market price. I'm not certain I like his contract at 10 mill a year let alone the 12 mill a year I think it would take to get him from the blazers.

"We only have one rule on this team. What is that rule? E.L.E. That's right's, E.L.E, and what does E.L.E. stand for? EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY. Right there up on the wall, because this isn't just a basketball team, this is a lifestyle. ~ Jackie Moon

the amount of time it takes to get batum to agree to an offer sheet +3 days is plenty of time for Portland to sign other free agents. I can't see the raps getting batum, unless the pay way above his market price. I'm not certain I like his contract at 10 mill a year let alone the 12 mill a year I think it would take to get him from the blazers.

I sorta understand the reluctance on the salary #s (which btw I agree are the numbers most likely to be hit on)...but, think about it this way...is Batum in Rudy Gay territory skill wise? I mention RG as a comparable since he tends to be the wished for acquisition quite often here. Except we dont give up anyone and I believe that Batum has a higher ceiling. And what does RG make? All that must be done is be convinced that Batum has the goods as a player and has the desired character to be the 1 or 2 option on this team. Gotta roll the dice on an informed decision sometimes These situations dont present themselves too often. There is a reason why Portland will fight to keep him.

Batum's a nice player, but I don't know if he's worth more than $8 - $9 million a year. He's yet to average over 14 pts in any season and isn't a spectacular rebounder or passer. I really like that he averaged a block and steal this season though.

What I'm fearing the most is if Portland does a sign and trade where they can give him huge $$ and flip him to a team like Toronto for a lot more than he's worth.

I sorta understand the reluctance on the salary #s (which btw I agree are the numbers most likely to be hit on)...but, think about it this way...is Batum in Rudy Gay territory skill wise? I mention RG as a comparable since he tends to be the wished for acquisition quite often here. Except we dont give up anyone and I believe that Batum has a higher ceiling. And what does RG make? All that must be done is be convinced that Batum has the goods as a player and has the desired character to be the 1 or 2 option on this team. Gotta roll the dice on an informed decision sometimes These situations dont present themselves too often. There is a reason why Portland will fight to keep him.

Agreed. Getting Batum even at $12M is a steal compared to Rudy Gays contract. I think Batum could put up similar numbers to Gay given the same shots and minutes, except with much better 3pt shooting and a better FT%. Batum can also play some SG if need be.
This lineup could surprise some people.

That would put us right around $58M (assuming $10M to Nash and $12M to Batum), leaving the MLE, and Barbosa's TPE for a trade. Not to mention we could move Amir for something, or could have received something in return for Calderon (who I'm assume will be shipped out somehow). Then next year make a run at James Harden in lieu of resigning Demar (or bring Demar back at 6th man type money). OKC will have trouble resigning him financially with Ibaka's contract coming up at the same time. It would be masterful of Colangelo if in 2013-14 our lineup consists of Nash, Harden, Batum, Bargnani, and Jonas. Draft Marshall and he'll be ready to take the reigns from Nash when his contract is up. That to me looks like a real contender.